Mail-handling device.



'J. L. KOST. MAIL HANDLING DEVICE APPLICATION FILED uovfls. me.

Patented Sept. H, 1917.

2 SHEEISg-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES .ATTOR NEY J. L. KOST.

' MAIL HANDLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. Is. 1916.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITN ESS ES ATTORNEY barren snares PATENTFF1KQE JOSEPH I1.KOST, OF GALVES'I'ON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES H. i SHIVELY, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

MAIL-HANDLING DEVICE.

rasaiea.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JosnPI-I L. Kosr, aciti- Zen of the United States, residing at Galveston, in the county ofGalveston and State of Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mail-Handling Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved mail catcher and the principalobject of the invention is to provide an improved type of train deviceso mounted in the car that it may be extended through side of the car, afurther object being to provide an improved means for moving the arms orcrane and toprovide the same with an improved catching hook and tofurther 3.

provide an improved type ofstation device for holding a sack to bedelivered and for removing a sack from a train,'-a still further' objectbeing to provide an improved type of sack carrying device for holdingthe sack to be. delivered to the train or at the station. r v

Another object of the invention is to so construct the train device thatit willtake up a minimum amountof space in the-car, it being suspendedadjacent the roof of the car and provided with of which the crane may bemoved to extend through either door according to which side of the car,the sack device is positioned.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this crane devicethat it will be strong and durableand not liable to be damaged when inuse.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the sack holdingchain and collecting hook that the mail bags will not be injured orthecontents thereof injured when taken up or delivered.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a view showing. the car in vertical transverse section andthe train device and station device in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the carbeing shown in longitudinal transverse section and the car device andstation device in top plan.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 16, 1916.

the door at either actuating lines by means Patented Sept. 11, 19 1?.Serial No. 131,741.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with thecrane or arm shown in elevation and the track in section.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View through the track and crane.

The car device is provided with. a housing or track 10 which issuspended from the cross beams 11 of the car 12 by means of the yokeorhanger 13 and is provided with inwardly extending flanges 1 1 betweenwhich are rotatably mounted, the pulleys 15 and 16. The crane arm orcarrier 17 is slidably mounted in the housing 10 and is provided withrollers or casters 18 which engage the upper wall of this housing asshown in Fig. This crane or carrier bar extends beyond the ends of thehousing and is provided at each end with clips 19 and 20 secured to theopposite side face of the carrier bar from the shoulder 21. A hook 22which is formed of rod metal such as heavy wire or the like is connectedto the side face of this shoulder by means of the fasteners 23 whichpass through the eyes 24 at the ends of the arms 25 and is provided witha twisted neck 26 carrying the head 27 which head terminates in a bill28 bent as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These hooks 22 extend below and uponoppo site sides ofthe crane of carrier bar as shown in Fig. 2, and itwill thus be seen that when one end of the carrier bar is extended asshown in this figure the hook 22 will be extended toward the forward endof the car.

Therefore if the car is traveling in one direction, the carrier barwould be extended out one side of the mail car and if it is traveling inthe opposite direction, the carrier bar would be extended out of theopposite side door of the car. In order to move the carrier bar therehas been provided lines 29 and 30 which extend over the rollers of thedouble pulley 31 and are then carried toward the ends of the housing 10,passed.

around the pulley wheels 32 and after passing around these pulleys 32are carried over the pulleys 15 and 16 and connected with the carrierbar upon opposite sides of the center thereof. It will thus be seen thatby drawing upon the line 29 the carrier bar can .car device. This chain38 is provided with books 39 with which the mail bag or bags 10 will beconnected and thus suspended between thezstandards35a It will thus beseen that when a train passes a station, the hooks '22 will engage thechain 38 and remove it from the hooks 37 thus collecting the mail bag orbags suspended from the chain. The mailbags to be delivered to thestation will be connected, with a similar chainsuspended from thecarrier bar by neans of the clips 19 and 20 and as the train )ass esthe, station, a

the hooks 4E1 carried by the standards 36 willpassjthrough this chainandthus remove thechain fromthe clips 19 and 20 and leave '[tlielmailbags to be delivered at the station suspended from the standard 36.Therefore the mail bag-will not bev engaged and the mail bag andcontents thereof cannot be, injuredeither by; a blow struck the bag orbyithe bag being accidentally punctured. Aftenthemail bag hasbeendelivered atthe station and themail bag-to be collected ,taken from thestationby the hooks 22, the carrier bar or crane will be drawn inwardlyby drawing upon the proper line 29 01230 and the'chain carrying the bagscollected can t hen be easily disconnected from the hooks It will thusbe seen that a very convenient device has been provided for transferringmail bags from a train to a station or from a Stat1O1l t0 a train andfurther that a trainwdevice'has been-so constructed 1 that it will besimple in construction and so made it will be strong and durable andCopies of this patent may be obtained for 21 serve as means for limitingthe sliding movement of the carrier bar through engagement with thesidewalls of the housing.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A mail handling device including a station devicecomprising a platform, a set of standards extending above said platform,collecting hooks extending from the standards and extending above thestandards and not liable to easily break orget out of order. It shouldbe further noted that the shoulders toward each other, a second set ofstandards; extendlng above said platform, and suspending hooks extendingfrom the second set of standards toward each other for suspending a sackbetween the second set of standards. 1 a y 2. A mall handling deviceincluding a station devlce comprlsing a platforimfa set of standardsextending above said platform,

collecting means-carried b'ysaid standards,

a second set of standards extending abovesaid platform, suspendingmeansex'tending 7 between the second set'of standards and ter- 7minating in spaced relation, a flexible carrier carried by saidsuspending ineansiand pro 'vided with an engaging elementwherebya rier."i V 3. A mail handling device including a sta sack may be suspended fromthe flexible can tion device, said station deviceinclu'dinga set ofstandards, collecting means carried by' the standards and extendingbetween the same; a second set'of standards positioned alinement withthe first set of standards; and suspending means carried by the secy ondsetiof' standardsand'extending between"; the same and positioned "inadifferent'plaiie fronrthe plane of the collecting hooks. i

g In testimony whereofI afli'x my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' i f JJOSEPH L. KOST. Witnesses: i L. BnEUsTnn,

' JAs'JHfSH'I'vnLYI' five cents-each, by addressing the Commissioner ofPatents. 7 Washington, D. 0. r l i

